Here is short film that supplements Mike Hudson's film on Dragon Hall. It illustrates the life of Robert Toppes and the trading that took place in the great Dragon Hall. Please select the following link and press play, you can always give the film a thumbs up:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIwlHacxSXE
For those that like a written article, here is a link that supplements the film shown by Mike Hudson:
https://www.dragonhallnorwich.org.uk/pages/history-of-dragon-hall.html
Here is an article that Colin wrote about the above some time ago. The article is presented by an actor. So who was Henry March and why did he murder two people? Who were his victims and what do the initials 'JF 1870' etched on a wall mean? To find out more information please select the following link and scroll down to ‘JF and the March Murder':
https://www.capnorfolk.com/project-outcomes
For those that like a written article, here is a link that describes the double murder:
I have recently read an article about Edward Burgess who was editor of a paper called Daylight during late 19th and early 20th century Norwich. Edward Burgess was a standard bearer for the working class of Norwich and he wasn’t afraid to take on those who were exploiting the working class, to such a degree that he was once publicly horse whipped by a victim and was often in court for libel. Anyway Edward had a daughter Mary who along with Lady Evelyn Suffield inaugurated the Norfolk WI in 1918. This is a wonderful story of the working classes working together with the aristocracy for the greater good. To find out more information please select the following link:
Here is a repeat of an old article. So who was William Paulet? He was a participant in many of the famous events in Tudor history and served four monarchs and lived to the ripe old age of 87! He was a participant in the executions of Sir Thomas More, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, the attempt to change the succession with lady Jane Grey and the sinking of the Mary Rose. He played a central role at royal weddings, coronations and funerals and, as a councillor and member of the House of Lords, he influenced major changes to the religion, economy and social fabric of England. He was definitely not a man of the shadows. Please select the following link to learn more:
https://onthetudortrail.com/Blog/resources/biographies/william-paulet
Tony Harper has suggested this article which is about Barsham in Suffolk. So why is a small line of houses labelled the world’s tinniest city? To find out more information please select the following link:
https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/23154071.barsham-city-life-like-worlds-tiniest-city/
To supplement the talk by Jonathon Hooton, here is an article about the Glaven Ports. I never thought I would include an article from the Fishing Times but here it is, and I think it is pretty good. It describes the rise of the three ports during medieval times and the types of goods that flowed through them. It was interesting to read about the taxes that were incurred on the goods - how much of a levy did the parson and the King get? It also goes into more detail regarding the conflict with the Hanseatic League. There is also detail on how the ports fell into decline. To find out the answers to these questions and more information please select the following link:
https://fishingnews.co.uk/features/the-glaven-ports-long-trips-from-small-places/
Here is an article about our Jewish heritage. So when and why did the Jews come to Norwich? Where did they live and why were they protected by the Sheriff and the King? When were they expelled from England and who encouraged them to come back? If you read on further you will learn of the wonderful work by the Norfolk and Norwich Committee for Refugees before the start of World War Two and the refugee children they saved. To find out the answers to these questions and more information please select the following link:
https://www.norwichsynagogue.org.uk/worship/history-of-worship-in-norwich/
Here is a Norwich Society Film about the Jewish Heritage of Norwich. Please select the following link and press play. You may need to move the red bar back to the start and you can always give it a thumbs up:
Here is article of a lady born in 14th century Bishop’s Lynn (King’s Lynn) who became famous for The Book of Margery Kempe, which was a detailed account of the live of a middle class woman who on one hand is a wife and mother of fourteen children and on the other hand, was a Holy Woman. This book is thought to be one of the first autobiographical accounts in the English language. She was also illiterate, so how did she write this book? What was the reason why she turned to God? To find out the answers to these questions and more information please select the following link:
https://www.bl.uk/people/margery-kempe
Here is an additional article for those that would like to learn more about Margery Kempe:
As I have been on holiday this week (yes another one) here is a repeated article where Tony Robinson takes us through some awful jobs from history including; making lances, making chain mail, messengers, food testing and washer women. Please select the following link and press play, you may need to move the red bar back to the start and you can always give the film a thumbs up:
As a supplement to Adrien's talk, here is an oldie but a goodie on Herbert De Losinga the man who instigated the building of Norwich Cathedral. So who was he? When and why did he come over from Normandy to England? How much did he pay the king to become Bishop of Thetford? And when did he move his diocese to Norwich and commence the building of Norwich Cathedral? This article also describes the riot of 1272, what caused the riot and the aftermath including the remodelling of the cloister. You can read on about the history of the cathedral through until modern times. To find out the answers to these questions and more related information please select the following link:
https://thefreelancehistorywriter.com/tag/herbert-de-losinga/
Here is another related article about Herbert De Losinga and a charter from King William Rufus to him granting him hunting rights without penalty. This document also happens to be the oldest document held in the Norfolk Record Office. Please select the following link:
To supplement Tuesday’s talk on the Salvation Army, here is an article about the history of the Norwich Citadel Band. It all started back in 1882 following a visit by General William Booth. To find out more about the history, the countries and places they have played and the various causes the Army supports then please select the following link to find out more:
To supplement Phyllida Scrivens’s talk on the Thorpe Railway Disaster last Tuesday, here is a short film on the disaster of 1874. I didn’t realise that the Electric Train Tablet System was introduced as a result of this disaster. There is also a wonderful map at the start of all the Norfolk railways that existed at the time. Note the above picture that was taken by George Plunkett in 1955. Please select the following link and press play, you may need to move the red bar back to the start, you can skip the adverts and you can always give the film a thumbs up:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q8A9GH_lBo&t=5s
Here is a more detailed account of the disaster. It goes into more detail on the miscommunication or was it just plain disobedience? Please select the following link to find out more:
https://www.broadlandmemories.co.uk/blog/2014/09/the-thorpe-railway-disaster-1874/
Stay healthy!
Regards
Mike
I was recently walking from Bodham and came upon the wonderful Baconsthorpe Castle. I have included an article on this in the past and it is well worth repeating. I would normally recommend a visit to the castle but it looks like there is some building work going on at present. You can park at the castle at a cost of £2 and explore this excellent fortified house. The castle, moat and gardens are lovely on a summers day. Anyway, who built and lived at the castle? How did it become a Tudor wool factory? It’s a story of rags to riches and back to rags! The answers and much more are in the following articles:
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/baconsthorpe-castle/history/
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/baconsthorpe-castle/history/tudor-wool-factory/
Continuing on from the talk by Richard Johnson on Tuesday, here are a couple of articles. The first article has some statistics and is a little dry but I would encourage you to flick through. Of the patients that were admitted from 1850-1882, how many of these recovered? The timetable section is worth a look as it outlines a typical weekly schedule for 1859. The food facts section is also interesting - what did the inmates have to eat on Christmas Day? How much weight did the majority of inmates put on by the time they were discharged? To find out the answers to these questions and more information, please select the following link:
https://restorationtrust.org.uk/2019/01/30/norfolk-lunatic-asylum-in-1882/
Here is an EDP article which describes the approach to postnatal depression during the Victorian era. Why did psychiatrists think that women were more prone to lunacy than men? There are also some case studies of the women that resided at the asylum (they are not for the faint hearted). To find out more please select the following link:
https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/lifestyle/heritage/where-was-the-mental-asylum-norwich-8408818
It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of our Queen on Thursday 8th September. She was a great inspiration to myself and millions of others. May you rest in peace your majesty. I am honoured to have been alive during your reign. God Save The King!
Royal Rebranding - What Will Happen to Stamps, Coins, Banknotes and Passports
With the passing of the Queen and the blanket coverage going on at present, I thought I would come at this from a slightly different angle. So when will Charles’s head appear on coins and which way will he be facing? When will we see the King’s head on stamps? Will the royal cyphers be changed on post boxes? What happens to the Royal Warrants that have been issued in the Queen’s name (Colmans has one)? To find out the answers to these questions and more information, please select the following link:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59596996
Origins of our National Anthem - God Save the King
Here is an interesting article about the origins of our National Anthem. It appears to have evolved over time but I didn’t realise that it was popular as far back as the Jacobite Rebellion in 1745. To find out more please select the following link:
https://www.historytoday.com/archive/history-matters/god-save-queen-history-national-anthem
Here is another excellent article from the Norfolk Tales, Myths and More! website. I was recently fortunate to have a meal at the Parson Woodforde pub in Weston Longville and a member of my family asked me who was Parson Woodforde. I didn’t know so I thought an article would be interesting. The reason why he is famous is because he is the author of The Diary of a Country Parson. This vivid account of parish life remained unpublished until the 20th century. The value of the diary to the historian lies in the wealth of primary source material it provides, while the general reader can bring from it the authentic flavour of 18th-century English country life. To find out more, please select the following link:
https://norfolktalesmyths.com/2021/04/09/the-diaries-of-a-parson-woodforde/
If you would like to flick through the entire text of his dairy, then please select the following link:
https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.227134/2015.227134.The-Diary_djvu.txt
This is another suggestion from Tony Harper which was circulated some time ago but is still a goodie. I used to play golf around the old ruins that exist today and I was very surprised to see what a wonderful building it was in its hey day. Did you know there was a manor on the site beforehand that dates back to the Norman invasion? The hall was then built in 1553 over the river by Sir Henry Jernegan but when was it converted into a Gothic style house? What brought about the demise of this lovely hall? To find out more, please select the following article and also take time to select the arrows on the picture gallery to see some excellent photos of the hall:
http://www.lostheritage.org.uk/houses/lh_norfolk_costesseyhall.html
Here is a supplementary article that you may find of interest:
https://www.costesseypark.com/history/
Tony Harper has suggested an article on Hellesdon Railway Station. It was originally built in 1882 but why was it built so far aware from the centre of Hellesdon? The station was closed to passengers in 1952 but what were it’s other community uses? It continued to the used for freight until the early 1970’s but when was the station building finally demolished? There were a couple of sidings built to load cattle on to wagons after they had grazed on the nearly fields and there was even a signal box for a while. It’s also interesting to read about and view the pictures the work the rail demolition crews undertook on the line. I was shocked to read that they destroyed all infrastructure around the line to ensure no other organisation could lay track, telegraph poles, concrete posts, signage and vintage lamps - sacrilege! Please take time to view the pictures of the line especially those with the Railway Ghost Images. To find out answers to these questions and more information please select the following link:
https://themilecrossman.com/2018/03/25/hellesdon-station-part-1/
Here is another link that covers similar ground and has some interesting maps of the station:
We discovered the Thomas Browne plaque beside Pret a Manger on Tuesday and of course his statute sits in the Haymarket, so here is some further information on him.
Thomas was a polymath (a person of wide knowledge and learning) during the times of the English Civil War. Educated at Oxford, practiced as a physician all his life, he wrote two best sellers throughout Europe, one a spiritual autobiography, Religio Medici which was a spiritual testament and early psychological self-portrait, and Pseudodoxia Epidemica where he looked to prove or debunk many commonly held 'urban myths’. His other areas of expertise were science, anatomy, philosophy, astrology, astronomy to name a few! Who said our ancestors weren’t intelligent! It beggars belief how he concentrated on his work with the English Civil War going on around him. He also introduced the word electricity into our language! To find out more information please select the following link:
The Colman family were quakers and so were the Gurney family. Gurney Bank was founded in 1770 and then merged into Barclays Bank in 1896. I didn’t realise that their ancestry can be traced back to Hugh de Gournay who accompanied William the Conqueror to England. The original bank was located in Pitt Street and then moved to Bank Plain by late 18th century. Elizabeth Fry (the prison reformer) was the daughter of John Gurney. Their houses included Earlham Hall (rented from the Bacon family), Keswick Hall near Norwich, as well as Heggatt Hall and North Runcton. To find out more information please select the following link:
https://keswickhallcollege.co.uk/gallery/guerny%20family,%20former%20owners%20of%20kh.pdf
You are probably aware that I do a lot of walking with the Ramblers and our walk last week took us past Hales Hall, which is out on the Lowestoft Road, near Loddon. I have been to a wedding there but I didn’t realise it’s heritage. Anyway take some time to read about this wonderful building that was built for the Hobart family who also built Blickling Hall and take some time to view the wonderful Tudor barn. Please select the following link:
https://haleshall.com/hales-hall-great-barn-history/
The narrative refers to a Queens Post Truss and if you are like me, you didn’t know what this was, then please select the following link:
https://gharpedia.com/blog/queen-post-truss-all-you-need-to-know/
Also, take some time to look at the wonderful pictures of the hall by selecting the following link and selecting the arrow:
I read about this story in a recent Breaking The News session run by the Heritage Centre. Here is another article on it. The story is a wonderful tale of a group of women fighting to retain their jobs when the economic tide was turning against them. What action did they take and were they successful? To find out the answers to this question and more information please select the following link:
http://35.153.92.140/2022/04/fakenham-women-norfolk-sexton-and-everard-shoes-occupation-work-in-1972
I do like the films from the Little Bit of History series and here is another one about Thomas Bilney. Thomas was a Norfolk man born in 1495 and became outspoken about the current religious practices of the day which was a very brave and dangerous thing to do. Why did he feel the need to take such measures? What practices was he adverse to? What do you think happened to him? This story is an excellent insight into the passion these clergymen had, irrespective of the dangers. To find out the answers to these questions and more information please select the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9z_5Jjn_Ng&t=6s
For those that prefer a written article on Thomas or would like to supplement the above film, please select the following link to find out more:
https://www.christian.org.uk/features/thomas-bilney-the-forgotten-hero-of-the-english-reformation/
Here is another related article that provides more background to the manufacture of white paper in Norfolk and in particular, Taverham. What was the Licensing Act? Where and how was white paper produced in Taverham? When was the Norwich Mercury founded? What was Richard MacKenzie Bacon famous for? Please select the following link to find out more:
https://joemasonspage.wordpress.com/2012/01/07/the-norwich-mercury/
To supplement the Breaking the News sessions, I thought it would be worthwhile to have a couple of articles on newspapers, starting with the Norwich Post. When was it founded, by whom and why did this newspaper achieve national fame? To find out the answers to these questions and more information please select the following link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwich_Post
For those that prefer a written article, here is an article I sent out nearly two years ago. It is an article written by Colin’s friend Dave Tonge about attitudes towards women in Tudor times. Did women have a voice in Tudor times? Or were they regularly silenced by the men folk? The relationship between men and women was far more complex than ducking stools or scold’s bridals would have you believe. Please select the following link to find out more:
https://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/articles/attitudes-towards-women-in-the-tudor-period/
Here is a film about the 1920s in Norfolk as depicted by the 1921 census. The country was recovering from the First World War and the Spanish Flu pandemic and the census was compiled during a period of social unrest leading up to the General Strike of 1926. It’s an excellent insight into the period and in particular, women’s emancipation. Why were there so many British Army deployments overseas? And what neighbouring country were a number of these based? What type of jobs were women doing for the first time? What did Dorothy Jewson become for the first time? And what did Ethel Colman become? There were many significant medical advancements during this period but what were they? To find out the answers to these questions and more information please select the following link and press play, you may also wish to give the film a thumbs up:
I didn’t realise that Humphrey was born in Bury St Edmunds and is buried in Aylsham Parish Church. Of course he is famous for his landscape gardening but this wasn’t his first profession, he was educated at Norwich Grammar School but what was his first job? Who was the Felbrigg owner who lent him his botany books? Why did he move his young family to Romford? Which famous author described him as a “Money Minded Cunning Rogue”? What was his red book? And what estates did he design in Norfolk? Please select the following link to find out more:
https://norfolktalesmyths.com/2019/02/28/repton-the-landscape-designer/
Here is a short film about Repton’s red books and his use of overlays to sell his ideas to clients. This film brings his designs to life. Please select the following link and press play. You may need to move the red bar back to the start and you can always give the film a thumbs up if you enjoyed it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ5KnfIagK0
For those that are interested, here is some supplemental reading on Humphrey Repton, this article provides more information on the gardens he designed outside of Norfolk and the competition he had with a fellow colleague to design the Brighton Pavilion. Please select the following link to find out more:
Here is a short film about Billy Bluelight from the Little Bit of History series. So who was he and why was he so well known to those that travelled up the River Yare from Yarmouth to Norwich in the early 20th century? What rhyme did he sing? What was his upbringing and why did he race the pleasure boats on the River Yare? Why was he called Billy Bluelight? How old was he - when he was 45 years old in 1907 and still 45 years old in the 1930s! This story is an interesting insight into earlier 20th century Britain when there was no welfare state. Please select the following link and press play, you may need to move the red bar back to the start, and you can always give it a thumbs up:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nUdDXLeteM&t=3s
For those that prefer a written article, here is an article from the highly recommended Norfolk Tales, Myths and More! website. Please select the following link:
https://norfolktalesmyths.com/2018/03/06/norwichs-billy-bluelight/
Colin took myself and the Pitt Stop Heritage Group to the Gressenhall Museum on Monday and a very interesting trip it was! Obviously workhouses were not pleasant places to be and the last resort for many people, we’ve all seen the scenes in Oliver Twist, but what surprised me was that they did provide a number of benefits to the inhabitants which I wasn’t aware of. To access a very short whistle-stop overview of a workhouse, please select the following link and then press play on the film titled Voices From the Workhouse, you may need to move the red bar back to the start:
https://www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/gressenhall-farm-and-workhouse/voices-from-the-workhouse
Here is a link that informs you of the history of the Gressenhall Workhouse which originally started as a House of Industry in 1777 which was another name for a workhouse. You will note that such benefits as education for the children and the infirmary weren’t introduced until the late 19th century. Why did it become known as Beech House or Beech Hill? And what role did it play in the First World War? To find out the answers to these questions and more information please select the following link:
Here is an article for those that would like more information on the Victorian Workhouse:
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Victorian-Workhouse/
I have mentioned James Minns on both of my heritage walks so far, and here is an article on the famous Gunton's carver. From their association beginning at the design of Cromer Town Hall in 1890, George Skipper and James Minns became famously linked. Minns’s carvings adorned a number of buildings designed by Skipper including; the former Daily Standard Office in St Giles Street; Surrey House - The Norwich Union Building on Surrey Street; and Commercial Chambers in Red Lion Street. As an employee of Gunton’s brickyard in Old Costessey James produced numerous exhibition pieces of which a number are displayed in the Castle Museum and the Colman family private collection. He also worked with Thomas Jeckyll on a royal project at Sandringham and produced an iconic design for a famous local mustard company. To find out more please select the following link:
https://colonelunthanksnorwich.com/2020/03/15/james-minns-carver/
For those that prefer a written article, here is a link for an interesting article on the Norwich Great Hospital. It provides a brief history and outlines Suffield's intention of providing a home for the sick and poor which then evolved into focusing on church duties, and then returned to focusing on the sick and poor in mid 16th century. Please select the following link:
This is an oldie but a goodie that I did publish a couple of years ago. It’s about the 17 bodies they uncovered under the Norwich Chapelfield Mall. It's a great insight into a medieval atrocity that occurred right on our doorstep! Please select the following link and press play, you also should be able to select skip to avoid the adverts:
You may have seen the news recently and become aware that a couple of local divers have located the wreck of HMS Gloucester which run aground off the Yarmouth coast in 1682. This is seen as the most significant maritime archeological discovery since raising the Mary Rose in 1982. The Duke of York (future James II) was a passenger on the Gloucester and although he and most of the nobility managed to escape from the sinking ship, they left all their belongings there, and it is still waiting for us to discover. Here is a film from the Little Bit of History series about the sinking of the HMS Gloucester, please select the following link and press play, you also should be able to select skip to avoid the adverts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFGgwL5q9b8
Here is a written article to supplement the above film. Please select the following link:
I thought the first computer was an abacus - this is not the case. The Antikythera mechanism was discovered in the early 20th century and dates to 2000 years ago. What was the mechanism, where was it found and what was it used for? The mechanism is made of rings and axles but how were they made? To find out the answers to thee questions and more information please select the following link and press play:
To supplement the talk by Nick Groves today, here is an arbitrary of the life of Joseph Crompton from the 1878 Norfolk Chronicle:
Died at the Wilderness, Bracondale, the Rev. Joseph Crompton, rector of St. Lawrence’, Norwich, in his 65th year. Mr. Crompton began his career in Norwich as a Nonconformist minister, in about 1848. For many years he was minister at the Octagon chapel; but his views underwent such a change that he relinquished the pastorate and established what was known as the Free Christian Church, which assembled at the Dutch church, Elm Hill. After a ministry of several years, Mr. Crompton, whose views had approximated to those of the Broad Church party, began to show strong sympathy with that section of the Establishment. He avowed himself “a Dissenter against his will,” and stated that the Athanasian Creed was the last stumbling-block in his way to joining the Church of England. At his own request the Bishop shortly afterwards admitted him to Holy Orders, and he officiated as curate to the Rev. Charles Morse, both at St. Mary’s and St. Michael-at-Plea. On the Rev. E. A. Hillyard leaving St. Lawrence’, Mr. Crompton was appointed rector of the parish. He took great interest in scientific pursuits, and his name was associated with the Norfolk and Norwich Museum as a lecturer with Professors Lindley and Sedgwick, Thomas Brightwell, and the Rev. R. Lubbock. Mr. Crompton was a zealous supporter of the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists’ Society, of which he was President in the first two years of its existence. In politics he was a decided Liberal. A window erected to his memory by public subscription was unveiled at St. Lawrence’ church by Mr. Harry Bullard, Mayor of Norwich, on November 6th, 1879.
Here is another film from the Time Travel Artist, you may recall a recent film on Norwich Castle through time. With the aid of computer graphics you can gain an insight into how, Norwich Cathedral, Bishop Bridge, The Bell Hotel, St Stephens Street and many more, used to look many years ago. There are some wonderful shots of the old Rowntree MacIntosh factory and the old library. Please select the following link and press play:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXTW4e0z60M
My wife heard about this on the radio recently. Sandringham had it’s own time between 1901 and 1936 which was half an hour ahead of Greenwich Meantime. What was the reason for this and who introduced it? To find out the answers to these questions and more information, please select the following link:
I was on one of Colin’s heritage walks on Monday and the focus was on Surrey Street and we came across the house of James Edward Smith near All Saints Green. He was the son of a wealthy wool merchant and became a famous botanist. What collection (which would give him European fame) did he purchase in 1784 for 1000 guineas? The Linnean Society is the world's oldest society devoted to natural history but when did he founder the this society? What was Flora Brittanica and when was it published? How many articles did he contribute to Rees’s Cyclopaedia? What major botanical publication of the eighteen century did he contribute seven volumes to? To find out the answers to these questions and more information, please select the following link. Please take some time to explore this website as it is a real treasure trove of information relating to the heritage of Norwich:
http://www.norwich-heritage.co.uk/monuments/James%20Edward%20Smith/James%20Edward%20Smith.shtm
Here is an interesting short film suggested by Peter James. It portrays Norwich Castle through the ages with some graphic wizardry. Please click on the link and select play:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNjlg2M8JgA
Here is an interesting article. Have you wondered what are the origins to pub names? This article will inform you of the origins of some of these including; The Royal Oak, The King’s Head, The Coach and Horses, The Bell, The Bird In Hand and The Rising Sun. These are all local pub names that we are familiar with - but what are their origins? Please select the following link to find out:
https://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/articles/a-history-of-british-pub-names/
I was out walking with the Ramblers on Thursday at Wortwell in Suffolk and we walked close to the location of Gawdy Hall. So here is an article on this wonderful Tudor hall. It describes how the Gawdy family came to prominence and also which famous visitor is said to have visited the hall. Do you know the famous Norfolk company it was sold to in 1938? There is an interesting comparison on the number of men that worked the land in 1953 and the number that is required today. And please don’t miss the double headed eagle - a survivor from the Dissolution of the Monasteries. To find out the answers to these questions and more information please select the following link:
https://www.gawdyhallestates.co.uk/history.htm
Here is some more information on the Gawdy family. It appears they may have been descendants from a famous French knight captured during the 100 years war. To find out more information please select the following link:
I discovered this house whilst on one of Colin’s Heritage Walks. We have all probably walked past it lots of times and not noticed the plaque on it that tells us that Thomas Pykerell used to live here - but who was he and why is he famous? How old is it and what was it used for during the 1930s? And what happened to it during the Baedeker Raids of 1942? To answer these questions and to find out more information, please select the following link:
http://www.julianwhite.uk/norwich-pykerells-house/
Here is a map of the original house. What a hive of activity this must have been during the 16th century. Please select the following link:
http://www.georgeplunkett.co.uk/Norwich/Drawings/RosemaryLane01.jpg
Thomas Pykerell, is thought to have commissioned an extraordinary series of stained-glass roundels depicting ‘The Labours of the Months’, these are rare collections of art, four of which survive in the Norwich Castle Museum collection. To see these roundels please select the following link:
https://norwichcastle.wordpress.com/2020/06/15/the-norwich-strangers/
Tony Harper has suggested this article. This is a story about a young Norwich girl born into poverty at the start of 20th century. She was brought up in one of the toughest neighbourhoods in Norwich but where was it? Her mother gave her a really hard time and at the age of six, as she was the only member of the family who was not bringing in an income it was decided to sell her! But to whom? She worked in munitions during World War One and then in 1922 took a completely illegal new role - but what was it? And how did she invest the proceeds? Why was she called Queenie? This is a fascinating story and to find out the answers to these questions and more information, please select the following link:
Don mentioned C.B. at the end of his talk and I must admit I had never heard of him! Born in 1872, not only did C.B. obtain a First Class Honours Degree at Oxford but he played professional football for Southampton and England, he equalled the world long jump record, he played professional cricket for Sussex and England, he was also a Liberal candidate for Parliament in Brighton; a director of a training ship, a journalist, a deputy and speechwriter for the Indian delegation at the League of Nations. It was whilst he was involved in the latter role that C.B. was offered the vacant throne of Albania! C.B. was a real superman, and to find out more information about him, please select the following link:
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/CB-Fry/
I recently did a Heritage Walk with Colin which focused on the markets of Norwich including, the Maddermarket, Stump Cross Market, the Cattle Market and of course Norwich market. Here is an EDP article on Norwich Market. It has some interesting pictures of the market in years gone by. Did you know that its origins date back to Norman times? It was much bigger in medieval times - but how far did it stretch to? The market was redesigned in 1938 as part of a much larger project - but what was the project? When did the colourful tent roofs become a fixture? What was installed in 1976? And what the result of the overhaul in 2005? To answer these questions and to find out more information, please select the following link:
https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/lifestyle/heritage/norwich-market-through-the-decades-8397074
There is also a film incorporated into the above article, if you press play, make sure the volume is on (doesn’t have a cross against it), either skip the adverts or wait for them to end, then a short film on Norwich Market will play. Look out for the pictures of the market with a row of buildings at the back of the market which were presumably demolished in 1938 when it was redesigned.
I came across the attached map the other day and I thought it worth sharing with you all. They say a picture paints a 1000 words and I think this applies here as it outlines Anglo Saxon Norwich. The key narrative is also interesting and provides detail of the origins of; Tombland, The Great Cockey, Ber Street, Colgate, Pottergate. Please select the following link:
Here is another suggested topic from Tony Harper. This relates to an article published in the Eastern Daily Press on June 18th 1898. It appears to be related to an unfortunate lady with “weak intellect” which is indicative of how 19th century society treated individuals with mental health issues. As the hoards descended on the graveyard to see the ghost, what legendary Irish warriors were they compared to? What did they do to the tomb and how did the parish authorities deter future attempts? To answer these questions and to find out more information, please select the following link:
https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/weird-norfolk-ber-street-ghost-norwich-8621628
Tony Harper has suggested this topic. This article paints an in-depth picture of a group of men who are caught poaching in the early 19th century and what happens to them. It may be of particular interest to those members residing in Costessey. The affray was one incident of what was known as the “Poaching Wars” during the early 19th century. Both landowners and peasants were killed during this conflict. A particularly vicious phase of the poacher’s war began in 1816 with the passing of the Night Poaching Act; this introduced the penalty of transportation for seven years if the convicted culprit had been armed with ‘net or stick’ and had the intent to steal rabbits or game. This bleak picture of England by the early 19th century was, in no small measure, made worse by the collapse of wheat prices resulting in the high price of wheat that the poor struggled to pay, coupled by the increasing number of enclosures of land which greatly reduced the opportunity for supplementing the diets of the rural poor with rabbits, hares etc. Anyway this is the background, so how many poachers were convicted after the passing of the Night Poaching Act? What happened to the poachers? And why were they incited into violence? To answer these questions and to find out more information, please select the following link:
https://norfolktalesmyths.com/2020/04/15/poachers-and-the-heydon-affray/
Maggie was watching Pointless recently and there was a round about castles, they gave a list of castles and the contenders had to pick out the real ones from the made up names, one of which was Vernon Castle. Of course we meet in the Vernon Castle Room as well. So who is he? Vernon was born in Norwich in 1887 and moved to New York in 1906 where he obtained work as a comedy actor, singer, dancer and conjuror. He met Irene in 1910 and they were married in 1911. They travelled to Paris in 1911 and became the rage of Parisian Society, but what dances did they popularise? They returned to New York and received wider acclaim and appeared in a number of Broadway shows, but what famous composer’s first show in 1914 did they appear in? What ballroom dance did they refine and popularise? They then decided to open a dance studio but what extortionate fee could they charge their rich clients? The Castles became trendsetters of their age but what social stigma did the Castles help to eradicate? What hairstyle and clothes did Irene introduce? Vernon was keen to serve in the First World War but how did he serve and what prestigious award did he win? To answer these questions and to find out more information, please select the following link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernon_and_Irene_Castle
Here is a short film of Vernon and Irene dancing. I am not sure what the judges on Strictly Come Dancing would have made of it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkqf9_Wr_Vs
Here is a BBC article about Darcy Bussell opening a plaque at the Nelson Hotel (which is built on the site of Vernon’s home):
I hope that you and your families have had a wonderful healthy Christmas and that you are now looking forward to the New Year. Here are the answers to the quiz that I sent out last week:
1. What eight sided building on Colegate did Thomas Ivory build in 1756? Octagon Chapel
2. Who was the founder of Colman’s mustard? Jeremiah James Colman
3. How many years did the Burston school strike last for? 25 years
4. What Norfolk disaster prompted the introduction of the Electric Train Tablet System? Thorpe Railway Disaster 1874
5. Who was the man who enticed Einstein over to Norfolk in 1933? Oliver Locker-Lampson
6. Which famous Norfolk family owned Wolterton Hall until 2016? The Walpole Family
7. Who in 1599 danced his way from London to Norwich in nine days? Will Kemp
8. Who lived in the old Dolphin Inn on Heigham Street during the English Civil War? Bishop Hall
9. When did the Norwich Steam Boat explosion occur? 1817
10. Which Norfolk family bought Felbrigg Hall in 1621? The Windham Family
11. Which Suffolk clock has only three faces? Beccles
12. What famous Norfolk landscape gardener was described as a “Money Minded Cunning Rogue”? Humphrey Repton
13. What happened in the Gardeners Arms,Timberhill, Norwich in June 1895? Millie Miles was killed by her husband Frank
14. Which Norwich pub is named after Peter the Wild Boy? The Wild Man
15. Where did the Strangers come from in 1568? Flanders
16. George Vancover discovered Vancover in Canada but in which Norfolk town was he born? Kings Lynn
17. What crashed through the doors of St Mary’s Church, Bungay during a storm in 1577? A black dog
18. Who undertook the work on the Venetian Waterways in 1928? Unemployed, who were married and had a least one child
19. Which famous medieval knight is buried at St Benet’s Abbey (A Shakespearian character was also modelled on him)? Sir John Fastolf
20. What building was built on the site of the Great Blow of 1648? Bethel Hospital
